Thankful
by Agatha-Naomi
Summary: Rukia has been sent to the Human World to patrol for hollows, and Ichigo is working hard to get his powers back. Yuzu is trying hard to get everyone in the holiday spirit, but she'll need Rukia's help to convince everyone.
1. Jacket

Thankful

AN: I read the dreaded chapter, but in favor of fluff, I'm not gonna go on and on about it.

"How are you cold?"

"How are you not?"

Ichigo and Rukia were at school, just around lunchtime. The day seemed to be lasting forever. He wished be could be off training with Urahara, trying to reawaken his powers. He felt restless without them. Rukia had gotten orders to watch the town, seeing as he couldn't anymore. He was happy to have her around, especially now when things were so crazy. It had really freaked him out to see her fade away, to lose his powers. His ego had taken a major blow, and there was a lot to do. Lucky for him Rukia treated him like she always did. He wasn't weak to her. Even if he felt that way. The cold and damp weather was doing nothing to lift his spirits.

It was late November, and 42 degrees. However, the fierce winds made everything feel freezing. And it probably was below freezing. Hair whipped, and so did skirts. Whoever had designed the uniforms for Karakura High must have been worse than Kon.

Ichigo was warm blooded by nature, and honestly if he was cold he'd just suck it up. But Rukia was chilly today, and God was she unhappy about it. Then again the addition of a vest and tights did little to add warmth to the short and thin girl's uniforms.

"Ichigo, are you even listening to me?" She seethed, her arms crossed in front of her tiny chest, her hair messy from the wind. Hell she even had red cheeks and a pink tinted nose.

In short she was very angry, and rather adorable. Ichigo sighed in defeat. He hated to do this, but if she was gonna bitch all day about it….

"Alright midget, I get it, you're cold. I've got an extra jacket in my P.E. locker. I'd be willing to get it for you. Take it or leave it."

"Ermm, Rukia Chan?"

"Yes Mahana?"

"Why are you wearing Ichigo's jacket?"

"Yeah? Does he like you or something?" Chizuru giggled.

"He give it to you?" Another girl demanded.

It was times like these when human girls reminded Rukia of vultures. The entire female populace in the class had a question about the jacket. Silly little mortals.

"Ichigo let me wear it. I was cold."

"It has his name on the back." Orihime sighed happily.

"So?" Rukia didn't see the point in this weird conversation.

"So, it's his jacket." Tatsuki chimed in. Tatsuki wasn't much for gossip, but apparently this was juicy.

"When a girl wears a guys jacket it's like he's marking his territory." Chizuru snickered. "His name is on the back in big letters, so when people look at you, they think of Ichigo."

"It's designed to keep other guys from talking to you." Mahana told her matter of factly.

"That's a load of crap." Rukia scoffed. "Ichigo doesn't mark his territory like some pissing dog. And if he did I'd realize it, and kick his ass." They all blinked at her in disbelief. She had forgotten her school girl act, hadn't she? Oh well. It's hard to keep up anyways.

Ichigo was glad that school was over. It was a little cold. Besides, he hated being cooped up.

"Hey Rukia, hurry up, or I'll start walking without you."

"Coming! Not my fault you walk so damn fast."

The sleeves of his jacket were rolled up several times so they didn't dangle over her tiny wrists. There was little that could be done about the huge size. The jacket looked like a dress over her bitty frame.

"What's Thanksgiving Ichigo?"

"Huh? Oh. It's an American holiday. People eat a lot of food and they go shopping."

"Orihime said she wanted to celebrate it this year. She says it's too fun to be just a Western holiday." Rukia informed him.

"Yuzu told us a few years back that Christmas and Easter were too fun to be just Christian and Catholic holidays. So we do those too." Ichigo sighed in annoyance.

"She justs likes cooking and decorating." She reminded him, "Anyways, this Thanksgiving sounds fun."

"You didn't even know what it was a minute ago." He teased lightly.

"Shut up." Rukia snapped.

"You don't thank people anyways." He mumbled grumpily.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She demanded. What was his problem? A moment passed. Rukia blinked. God, he was sensitive.

"Thanks for loaning me your jacket, Ichigo."

"No problem." Ichigo mumbled, trying his best not to sound pleased. He's sure she noticed anyways.

She usually knew what he was thinking.

"Maybe Yuzu will want to celebrate Thanksgiving." Rukia wondered hopefully.

"Who knows?"

AN: Hope you enjoyed, and review if you like. Will Ichigo get into the holiday spirit, or will Rukia have to help him?


	2. Arguement

Thankful

AN: Thanks to all who reviewed! Enjoy!

Since the streets were piled with black ice, school had been canceled that day. Yuzu was excited, going into a frenzy over getting an extra day to plan Thanksgiving. Rukia had found it necessary to inform the girl of the delicious holiday, so Yuzu was frantically and happily finding traditional recipes.

It would have normally made him happy to have a snow day, but Ichigo just didn't feel it. His grades weren't exactly good, so he was trying do get them up. He needed to graduate in case his powers didn't return. He could hardly be a Soul Reaper then. Ichigo had always thought it was the best thing he could do with his life, and he hadn't gotten into the whole school thing.

If you really asked him about any careers he wanted, or colleges he wanted to go to, he really couldn't tell you. Maybe that was a bad sign.

Rukia had insisted he go out and enjoy himself. She knew he was feeling low, and she was pulling him around town, looking at all the Christmas displays in the stores, and trying to get him into it. Her efforts were in vain.

"This is getting old, you know." She huffed. She was met with silence.

"You'll either get them back or you won't. Stop torturing yourself for once."

"Shut up Rukia."

"Excuse me?"

"This is what you always do. The moment I start going through something tough, you yell at me and try to get me to man up. That usually works, but I gotta tell you that I'm already doing my best to be a man about it! So get the hell off my case."

And with that he marched off, leaving her there with her mouth ajar.

He walked slowly, his head pounding angrily in his skull. She didn't get it. How hard this was for him. Nobody got it. He had failed to kill Aizen. Failed. And Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't the type of guy who lost easily.

He wanted his powers back. Protecting innocent souls, fighting jackass Espada, that was life. It was a dangerous and hardcore lifestyle, but he didn't feel right doing anything else. He and Rukia were warriors, and that was that.

She understood that though didn't she? That's why she spurred him so hard to get stronger. She got him, and in her own harsh manner she was trying her best to help. And he had left her all alone in the city without a proper jacket. With that self incriminating thought he dashed back to where he had left her. Only she wasn't there.

"Where the hell are you Rukia?"

He could just look fro her spiritual pressure….

No. No he couldn't.

Where else would she be? He needed to find her, before something happened to her. She was like this big, around! Doesn't she know how unsafe it is for a girl to be alone in the city? God, he knew she was tough, but she still needed to be careful, being as delicate as she was. Physically at least. Man, he could put a hand on either side of her waist and he'd bet his fingers would touch.

Not that he wanted to hold her around the waist. Now that's just crazy talk.

Anyways, back to the situation at hand. Neither of them had their cell phones with them, and he didn't have spirtual pressure. She couldn't track him, and he couldn't track her.

Maybe he just needed to start looking.

He walked around, looking to see where she could have gone. If a store had a display that he thought she would like, he went inside the store.

By the time he had used this method on several blocks of store, he decided to call home and see if she were there. As he had been an idiot and left his phone at home, he used the pay phone.

She wasn't there.

Ichigo really hated to do this, but he had to know if she were still around her. Maybe she had walked away from the shopping center in her anger. Still if she were here, he had no way to look for her and not waste his time and energy.

So he looked around for the rent a cop that every shopping district featured.

"I'd like to report a missing child." Ichigo sighed. Once she was described, he cop went on the intercom.

Oh she was going to kill him.

Ten minutes later….

"ICHIGO! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

"I figured! Just where have you been? You can't just wander off!"

"You did! ALL BECAUSE I NEEDED TO 'GET OFF YOUR ASS!'"

"I'm sorry."

"YOUR'E DAMN RIGHT YOUR'E SORRY.. . Wait what!"

"I shouldn't have walked off on you. And I shouldn't have gotten mad at you for trying to kick me into shape."

"Well, thanks I guess." Rukia murmured shyly.

"You wanna look around at some more stores?"

"No. I'm too cold."

"I'd offer you my P.E. jacket, but it ain't here. You should wear better jackets." He chided.

"I'm wearing one right now! It's just really cold right now!" She snipped defensively.

"Well then c'mon."

"Huh?"

"C'mere. I have a jacket."

"Like you'd give me your only jacket." She scoffed.

"We could share it." Ichigo mumbled sofly.

"How the heck would we share a jacket."

"You know. You put my arms around my waist, and I drape it over you."

"How cold do you think I am?" Rukia exclaimed, blushing hotly.

"I don't know, how cold are you?" He snarled, before letting out an 'oof'.

He had been hit square in the chest by a cold shingami.

"Pretty cold apparently. Am I forgiven?"

"Maybe." Her voice sounded quite muffled, seeing as her face was buried in his warm chest. Her hands were cold as snow against the small of his back. He could feel them through his t-shirt.

"Jeez, I feel so used. Am I like a portable personal heater?"

"Not my fault you're warm. Hug me back."

"Your wish is my command you bossy little midget."

AN: Review if you dare:]


	3. Power Outage

Thankful

AN: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

After Rukia had warmed up, he had let her go. Together they had started the walk home. The outlet store was a mere few blocks away from the house, so they had walked there earlier instead of bugging Isshin for a ride. It was almost 6:00, and dinner was surely almost ready. Soon they'd be home for a nice Thanksgiving meal, thanks to little Yuzu.

But things rarely worked out that smoothly. It had snowed the day before, which was a bit unusual for November. In any case, the snow wasn't that deep.

But when it started raining, things went south. Ice and snow made slush, which although cold and unpleasant, wasn't exactly hazardous. But the lightning that accompanied rain was, especially when a bolt of it hit a major power grid.

Halfway through the walk home, the power in Karakura town, and in a few neighboring cities went out. Needless to say they weren't happy.

"Do we keep walking?"

"In the dark? I don't think so."

"We're almost there." Ichigo protested.

"It's getting dark out. It's freezing and raining, and neither of us have cell phones with us." Rukia laughed harshly, "And you want to walk home?"

"It's only a few more blocks. And if we walk fast we can get home before dark. And get dinner."

"Suit yourself. But I'm not going to risk my ass just so you can get home in time for dinner." Rukia told him.

"So you're scared?"

"No!"

"Then why are you freaking out? It'll be fine!"

"Fine! Let's go!" She sighed in exasperation.

The snow and ice had melted together to make a cold mixture that sank deep into their shoes after awhile. It wasn't long until they were by a street that they recognized as being close to the Kurosaki Clinic.

That's when Rukia's hollow detector went off.

"Right now?" Ichigo demanded.

"No, not right now. My hollow detector's just chirping at me for no reason."

"Really?"

"No! It's this way!" And with that she dashed into a side street, leaving him chasing after her.

The hollow was small, but Rukia immediately noted its intense spiritual pressure. Ichigo felt weird watching her fight it. He couldn't even see it.

Only he kinda could. He could see a few flashes of color, a shiny and distorted surface to one section of air.

'Does that mean my powers aren't completely gone? Just really weak?' He wondered hopefully.

Nel had lost her powers, and she had them back. She had gotten smaller and childlike because her powers had recessed back into her body.

He hadn't turned into a little kid but that didn't mean something similar hadn't happened.

"Ahhh! Damn it!" "Rukia!" He cursed himself for not watching the fight. Then again it's not like he could have done anything anyways.

She had a wound along her side, and although it didn't look serious, it seemed that it caused her quite a bit of discomfort.

"Here! Let's get you home!" It was dark now, and colder still. They were still close to home. He was sure they could make it back.

"Yeah! We don't want to scare Yuzu to death." Rukia winced and started following him back home. Ichigo noted with some distaste that she was really falling behind.

"You still back there?"

"Yeah."

"Hurry up then."

"I'm trying!" Ichigo frowned and turned to look at her.

"Just how injured are you?" He looked at her torn clothes and still there wasn't much blood.

"I'm not cut badly. That's not the problem. I just feel strange." She told him.

"Strange how?" He wondered curiously.

"Just strange. I feel like my body is very tired."

"Maybe you should sit down a minute." Ichigo took hold of her elbow, and guided her to sit down. She held herself in an awkward way, and seemed clumsy.

"What did he hit you with?"

"His tail. And it stung, but it didn't hurt that bad. It's weird though because I felt my skin tingle where he cut it. I'm wondering if it were some kind of poison."

"Do you know that for sure?"

"No." She sighed. "But I really suspect that's the case."

"Well then we should take you to Urahara's. He'll be able to help."

"That'll take forever. Especially since it's dark now."

"Well we need to do something. First I need to tell my dad. He'll be worried about us. He can even give us a lift there." Ichigo thought aloud.

"Okay." Rukia nodded. "But I don't want to walk. That'll speed up whatever's in my system." Ichigo nodded, and picked her up gingerly. She felt incredibly light, and yet tense. She had trouble holding onto his neck. He frowned and wondered just how ill she was.

It was hard walking in the dark, but he had walked in the areas around his house so often that he knew the way. He was worried about her, but he had to admit that he loved how her small body felt nestled in his arms. Even though she was tiny, his arms hurt a little bit by the time he set her down on the couch.

Yuzu was frantic, and the smell of food was strong in the air. It looked like it had barely been touched, and Ichigo felt bad for worrying everyone.

Karin even seemed worried. Isshin quickly whisked Rukia into the car, and within a few minutes they were at the Urahara shop.

"She definitely has been poisoned. The posion creates drowsiness, and weakness. Eventually it will paralyze her. Luckily, antidotes are Tessai's specialty." Urahara sat Rukia down on a spare cot. Tessai was already playing around with various cures.

It took a while to find an antidote that Tessai was certain would work. She was given the medicine. They were told that she would perk up after a few minutes.

The power was still off, and Ichigo knew that many workers would be out trying to fix it. Yuzu and Karin were at home, and Isshin swung by and got them after a short while. They brought dinner for everyone.

It was cold, and dark, but as they ate in the dark, Ichigo finally felt hopeful. His powers were weakened greatly, but they were still there inside him.

They were his for strengthening. For improving. And even though he had to start all over again, he really didn't care. He already had what was important.

When the antidote kicked in and Rukia came to, he knew that he was truly thankful this Thanksgiving. She was on his side, when he was strong and when he was weak. Ichigo may not now what he should do with his life, or who to be, but he knew that this complex little woman was going to a be a key piece to whatever he did.

He needed someone reliable to hold onto, and for him, that was Rukia.


End file.
